Andrea Welch joined Allyn Johnston (vp and publisher) in March to start up a new imprint of Simon & Schuster, recently named as Beach Lane Books. Welch worked with Johnston for eight years at Harcourt prior to joining the imprint as an editor. Based in San Diego, Beach Lane Books' first list will debut in summer 2009. Their goal is to publish 18 to 20 books a year, with a focus on "lyrical, engaging picture books for young children." Fiction for middle-graders and young adults will also be published but, "that won't be the driving force."

So be aware, that everywhere on the schedule that Elizabeth Law is listed as presenting a workshop, now Andrea Welch will be presenting. We will post the workshop titles and descriptions as soon as they are provided to us.

Corrected registration forms will be available on the website as soon as we know Andrea's workshop titles. If you choose to use your registration form from the newsletter, please note that if you mark Elizabeth Law's workshops, you will be placed into the corresponding Andrea Welch workshop (but the topics won't likely be the same).